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John Cusick, Assistant Specialist at the UHM Environmental Center, discusses the current unsustainability of Hawaii tourism, and presents examples from Hawaii and abroad of how that might be changed. Slides from the REIS seminar series at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on 2009-10-29.
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overview
Tourism in Hawai‘i is inherently Unsustainable
There are complex competing and cooperating interestsamong stakeholders that maintain an unsustainablestatus quo
Approximately 500,000 monthly visitors in 2009 despitethe economic recession (5 million Y-T-D)
2008 visitor expenditures of $11.4 billion
Sustainability framework allows for ecologicalrestoration and cultural respect through place-basededucation and activities for residents and visitors
Learning outcomes in Hawai‘i provide examples for othertourist destinations to improve sustainability
The global context:IUCN World Conservation Congress 2008
The Congress theme “a diverse and sustainable world” was the basisfor developing a compelling vision.
Innovative sustainable development initiatives are underway ingovernment, civil society and the private sector that are makinga difference and charting a new course for communities, nationsand planet.
These efforts demonstrate that in many different settings and inmany different sectors, integrated and longer-term approaches torestoring, protecting and sustainably using natural assets canlead to new livelihood and economic opportunities with renewedenvironmental vitality.
The challenge is how to scale-up and mainstream these encouraginginnovations and how to create the enabling conditions for moresustainable and equitable alternatives to flourish.
Bio-Cultural Diversity and Indigenous Peoples
EnergyForests Islands
Law and Governance
Marine
Markets and Business
MediterraneanProtected Areas
Rights and Conservation
Species
Water
Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Developed by UN agencies, tourism and environmental organizations
basic guidelines to promote best practices
direct travel agency and client attention to participating suppliersand destinations
encourage media to recognize sustainable tourism providers
help certification programs ensure that standards meet a broadly-accepted baseline
capacity building consultation and workshops
provide guidelines for education
Sustainable tourism literature review of research priorities
Consider current trends in economic, social, political andenvironmental conditions
reform mass tourism models
expand alternative forms of tourism and alternatives to tourism
Link tourism and sustainability with wider environmental andsocietal trends
adaptation to global environmental change
restoration of degraded ecosystem services
community resiliency and stewardship
Now that sustainability is mainstream, enough rhetoric, time to putconcepts into practice and avoid greenwashing.
What is sustainable tourism and who is it for?
Is it “alternative tourism”, i.e. ecotourism?
Is it responsible, in terms of environmental stewardship,socio-cultural values, and best practices?
Is it sustainability of tourism industry market share,community economic development, and/orenvironmental conservation and restoration?
Can mass tourism ever be sustainable?
Defining terms
Sustainable travel minimizes impacts on the environment and hostcultures, furthers economic development goals of destinationcommunities, and contributes to the conservation and/orrestoration of biological diversity. It is responsible tourism that isboth ecologically and culturally sensitive
Ecotourism encompasses conservation-focused tourism and covers awide variety of experiences – often a participatory experience inthe natural environment in support of conservation andcommunity economic development
Ecotravel promotes environmental conservation, internationalunderstanding and cooperation, political and economicempowerment of local residents, and cultural heritage
place of sustainable tourism/travel
Rural and urban
Core and periphery
Intact and degraded habitats
Natural and built environment
Marine and terrestrial
function of sustainable tourism/travel
Environmental conservation
Cultural integrity
Social equity
Educational
Profitable
image of sustainable tourism/travel
Authentic
Appropriate
Planning for Sustainable Tourism Report (DBEDT 2006)
Vision for sustainable tourism
Reflection of values (aloha, malama ‘aina)
Economic opportunity (fair wages, equity)
Environmental protection
Cultural respect
Reinforce tolerance of diversity
Nurture sense of place
Are we on this path?
total annual visitors to the State of Hawai‘I 1995-2006(7.6 in 2007 and 6.8 million in 2008)
total annual visitors by island
STEP has collaborated with faculty, graduate and undergraduatestudents interested in developing and acting on sustainablesolutions for the Hawaiian Islands.
Current and proposed project sites include the Hawaiian Islands,Japan, Okinawa, Mongolia and China and address issuesassociated with protected areas, stakeholder conflicts, capacitybuilding, poverty alleviation and others.
Funding from UHM Center for International Business EducationResearch, VCRGE Manoa Fund, Sea Grant College
http://www.hawaii.edu/envctr/ecotourism/
Purpose and DesignPurpose and Design
Engage tourism stakeholders in support of establishing the HawaiianIslands as a model of sustainable best practices
Facilitate participant exploration, co-design, assessment and decision-making on long and short-range research goals
Composed of modules and exercises that participants performed in largeand small groups
Facilitated roundtable discussion themes
Communicating to tourists and residents on host culture issues
Evaluation of planning issues and regulatory obstacles to alternativeforms of tourism, including volunteer tourism, educational tourism,community-based tourism, and alternative lodging
Review and proposal of curriculum at UHM and within UH system,including experiential learning approaches and internshipopportunities, to bridge the ecological/sustainability literacy gap ofresidents and visitors through collaboration with governmentalagencies and community organizations
Identify resource management concerns/strategies as they relate toand/or involve commercial activities, particularly community-driven initiatives and protected areas, both public and private inmarine and terrestrial ecosystems
What works to create a sustainable tourism destination?
healthy ecosystems and associated ecosystem services
watershed protection + coastal restoration = recreation destinations
Cultural integrity
respectful engagement = reduced conflict and resentment
Smart growth
affordable housing + public health and safety = effective infrastructure
food security
agricultural landscapes = keeps the country country
energy independence
alternative energy = minimizes economic leakage and cost of living
zero waste
reduce, reuse, recycle = green labor force
How might sustainable tourism be measured and monitored?
Faculty and student research projects 2008-2009
assess potential of eco-lodging in Hawai‘i (MA 2009 NREM)
scuba diving carrying capacity at Molokini (MA 2009 Geography)
Kailua Bay offshore island recreational use (MA Geography)
East Maui community-based tourism (EVS internship)
Maunalua Bay recreation study (proposed EVS internship)
Mongolia indigenous tourism (UHM grad candidate)
Japan ecotourism conflicts (BA EVS and Peace St)
Sustainable Accommodation Models:An Evaluation of Certification Criteria
Melanie SaucierUHM Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Problems
Hotels are the most energy-intensive sector of tourism industry
Hotels generally produce +1kg of waste per guest per day
A hotel room uses on average 220 gal of water per day
Rising criticism of existing tourism infrastructure & future plans for moredevelopment on Oahu
Solutions
Provide stakeholders with:
A review of international guidelines & standards for sustainability
A compilation of appropriate criteria for Hawai‘i
An architectural rendering/model of an ecolodge
A foundation for a certification program to measure sustainability
Social Carrying Capacity of SCUBA Diving on Molokini Bixler McClure
UHM Geography Department
Social Science field research techniques
Conduct literature review on survey methods
Distribute and collect surveys
Enter and analyze data; draw conclusions
Environmental Media
Literature review for using image technology inenvironmental research
Take pictures of divers/boats/snorkelers for use insurveys
Test effectiveness of different image presentations
Literature review of previous research
Search for and analyze previous research onSCUBA/snorkeling/boating impacts
Compare and contrast literature
Human Use of Offshore islets in Kailua Bay, OahuScott Burch
UHM Geography Department
How much use and who are the users? What are the impacts of use?
Identify educational contact pointsInvestigate relationship between users and contact points
Raising Awareness and Building Consensus for Tourism thatProtects Maunalua Bay, Oahu
Key activities to be conducted as part of the proposed project:
Identify current and potential recreation sites and createinstruments to survey stakeholders
Work with Malama Maunalua to ensure compatibility ofcommercial and non-commercial activities with resourcemanagement and ecological restoration, and identifypotential/likely hotspots of conflict between these interests
Assist stakeholder meetings toraise awareness, agree onstandards, chart future tourismdevelopment and resourceprotection, and develop monitoringmechanisms involving UHMstudents
Maui case study
1970s Maui became a major tourism destination
Subject of a six page essay in Time magazinedubbing Maui America’s Magic Isle
Dramatic increases in resident and visitorpopulations
1990s to 2008 Maui is regularly voted by Conde NastTraveler readers as the best island destination inthe Pacific
Community-based tourism in East Maui
Kipahulu ‘Ohana began as a project to create a living historyprogram to share with Haleakala National Park visitors in theearly 1970s.
An example of community collaboration and co-management.
The partnership enables residents to “earn a living in their ownbackyard” working in an area where jobs are scarce and landexpensive.
The relationship engages residents with research and recreationstakeholders, and despite periods of animosity and antagonism,the protected area status of Kipahulu District is considered anasset that distinguishes East Maui from other culturallandscapes in the Hawaiian Islands.
Residents are reconstituting the identity of Kipahulu as aHawaiian place with benefits to various stakeholders. Protectedarea status perpetuates a perception of significance that datesback centuries.
Kapahu Living Farm,Kipahulu District,
Haleakala National Park
Sustainable Community Development on Southern Islands of JapanYukari Akastuka
UHM Environmental Studies, Peace Studies
Problem statement
Tourism dependent economies and environment degradationdue to mass tourism conflicts with local needs.
Purpose
Identify common interests among stakeholders the role ofprotected areas and propose win-win situation for currentlycompeting interests.
Research question
How do different stakeholders perceive the significance ofprotected areas?
Proposed outcomes
Development of island sustainability and environmenteducation for island youth.
Iriomote, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Comparison of Tourism Resources in Yakushima and East Maui
yesdevelopingExisting tourist itinerary circuit
yesyesVaried accommodations available
yesyesGood food available
yesyesScenic setting
yesyesWater recreation sites
yesyesUnique appeal
yesyesAdditional cultural interests
yesyesDistinctive features of interest
highhighObservation of biodiversity
yesyesJourney easy and comfortable
Hana AirportYakushimaAirport
Domestic airport
:15 minutes from KahuluiAirport
1 hour from HonoluluAirport
1 hour fromKagoshima
Airport
Flight time from internationalairport
East MauiYakushima
Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism in Lake Hovsgol Province, Mongolia:Capacity Building Workshops for Stakeholders
Odonchimeg IchinkhorlooUHM graduate candidate
Goal: To promote sustainable tourism development throughstrengthening local and regional stakeholders’ capacity tonetwork and facilitate collaboration between private and publicsectors.
Rationale: The challenges for government, the tourism industryand communities are to effectively balance environmentalconservation and economic development. Tourism represents agrowing level of economic activity and rapid increases in thenumber of visitors threaten biological diversity andperpetuation of indigenous cultures.
Primary objectives concentrate on three key areas:
Discuss current challenges and issues within the region
Identify future opportunities to achieve successfuloutcomes
Establish priorities among stakeholders
Ecotourism in ChinaLi Yan-qin
Central University for Nationalities, Beijing, China
2009 named “Chinese Ecotourism Year”
“be a green traveler and experience eco-civilization”
promotion of eco-tourism and the concept of sustainable travel
direct tourism toward green alternatives through sustainabledevelopment goals.
Profile of ecotourists in China
Age: 18 - 34 years old, younger than mass tourists
Gender: male more than female
Education: college graduates(60%)
Expenditure: willing to spend more than mass tourists and havedisposable income
Note: Gov. Lingle leaves for China tomorrow for two weekpromotional trip
STEP research agenda in support of island sustainability
What are the roles of protected areas in the context ofresident, research, and recreation interests andactivities?
How do they inform future research, instruction andoutreach?
Contribute to sustainability literacy at UHM
Investigate alternative forms of tourism
voluntourism, educational tourism, agtourism, place-based tourism
Support internship opportunities and internationaleducation and exchanges
STEP outcomes
Stakeholder conferences April and October 2009
Faculty and graduate student mentoring and involvement ofundergrads on research projects
Project website with resources for stakeholders to access
Peer reviewed publications
Conference presentations and posters
Contributing to UHM as a center for sustainability
in partnership with East-West Center, Center for ResponsibleTravel, University of the Ryukyus, Hokkaido University,The International Ecotourism Society, UNESCO, WorldHeritage Centre
Can tourism in Hawai‘i be sustainable …
or will it be greenwashed?
thank you